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OL Notes: Becton, Texans, Smith, Jags, Rams

March 13th, 2025 at 12:10pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Eagles‘ Mekhi Becton signing proved to be a highly effective one. The former Jets tackle was able to have success upon moving inside, and he helped his market after playing on a $2.75MM ‘prove it’ contract in 2024.

Becton’s preference would be to remain in Philadelphia, but he is of course an attractive option to teams eyeing upgrades up front. PFR’s No. 22 free agent in 2025 could look to capitalize on the strength of the guard market, which saw the likes of Robert Hunt, Jonah Jackson, Kevin Dotson, Damien Lewis and Jon Runyan Jr sign deals averaging eight figures per year in free agency. Becton will likely not be able to match many of their earnings, but an Eagles departure could still be looming.

ESPN’s Tim McManus reports there has not been tangible progress between team and player to work out a re-signing in this case. Offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland is among those who would like to see Becton, entering his age-26 season, brought back. As the Eagles move forward with a line already featuring four lucrative deals, though, keeping him in place may not be possible.

Here are some offensive line notes from around the league:

  • The Eagles, of course, have a deal in place to add a guard in the form of Kenyon Green. The former Texans first-rounder is one of three O-linemen the team is moving on from as part of its offseason plans. Veteran Shaq Mason was recently released, while left tackle Laremy Tunsil is on his way to the Commanders. The offensive line group increasingly became a problem in Houston last season, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated writes. Tunsil is respected in the organization, Breer adds, but making sweeping changes up front this offseason allowed the Texans to avoid a third lucrative commitment to the 30-year-old. Houston will look for a noticeably different combination and a new culture along the O-line in 2025.
  • Colts general manager Chris Ballard said at the Combine right tackle Braden Smith intended to continue playing in 2025. That will indeed be the case, with ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reporting an agreement has been reached on a restructured contract. The pact will pay out a $2MM roster bonus next week in addition to a $3.96MM base salary, per Over the Cap. Smith, 29 later this month, has served as a full-time starter since his arrival in 2018 but he missed the last five games of the 2024 campaign due to an undisclosed personal matter. He will still be a free agent next spring as things stand, but Smith’s return (at a cap charge of $10.4MM) will be welcomed on a Colts O-line which is set to lose Ryan Kelly and Will Fries after they both agreed to Vikings deals this week.
  • The Ravens managed to take care of one of their most important offseason priorities with the re-signing of left tackle Ronnie Stanley. That three-year, $60MM deal features $44MM in guarantees. The latter figure includes a $20.25MM signing bonus, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 details. Stanley has dealt with several injuries in his career, but this latest pact guarantees $22MM in pay for 2025 and ’26, according to Over the Cap. The two-time Pro Bowler is also scheduled to collect a $4.04MM option bonus next March.
  • Prior to the Stanley deal, Alaric Jackson agreed to a three-year pact to remain with the Rams. The deal can reach a maximum value of $60.75MM and includes $35.43MM in guarantees, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap writes. $30MM is fully guaranteed at signing, with most of Jackson’s compensation over the next two years locked in. $1.45MM in per-game roster bonuses are present in every year of the deal, and a $5.43MM injury guarantee will shift to a full one if he is on the roster on the fifth day of the 2026 league year.
  • Patrick Mekari parlayed his Ravens tenure into a three-year Jaguars contract at the outset of the negotiating period. That pact features $22.5MM in guarantees, including a $10MM signing bonus, per Wilson. The former UDFA has $10.5MM in 2026 salary locked in for injury, and remaining on the roster early in the 2026 league year will lead to further guarantees. Per-game roster bonuses totaling nearly $30K along with a $500K Pro Bowl incentive are present in every year of the deal.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/10/25

March 10th, 2025 at 10:41pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor NFL moves that may have been missed during an otherwise extremely busy first day of the tampering period:

Arizona Cardinals

Chicago Bears

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Jaguars, Robert Hainsey Agree To Deal

March 10th, 2025 at 3:47pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Jaguars continue to use the opening day of the negotiating period to along the offensive line. Patrick Mekari has already worked out a deal, and the same is now true of Robert Hainsey.

The latter has a three-year agreement in place, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The deal is worth $21MM and includes $13MM guaranteed, he adds. Hainsey played out his rookie contract with the Buccaneers, including the 2024 campaign with new Jacksonville head coach Liam Coen.

Although Coen only stopped through Tampa for one season, he is bringing Hainsey — who did not work as a regular starter last year — with him. Hainsey’s starter run came from 2022-23, as Ryan Jensen‘s training camp knee injury sidetracked his career and forced the Bucs into replacing him. Hainsey started all 34 Bucs games at center from 2022-23.

Initially placed as a guard in Tampa, Hainsey ended up giving way to 2024 first-round pick Graham Barton at center. Coen, however, did coach the former Tampa Bay starter last season. Despite Hainsey’s 2024 stay as a backup, the former third-round pick did not come especially cheap. He will collect $7MM per year and a nice guarantee, accompanying Mekari as unorthodox starter solutions. Mekari is heading south after a playing at least 200 snaps at all five O-line positions in Baltimore.

Brandon Scherff played out his big-ticket Jaguars deal — one agreed to during the 2022 free agency period — and the team saw Mitch Morse retire this month. Ezra Cleveland remains in place at Jacksonville’s other interior O-line spot; Hainsey and Mekari and on track to join him.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

Jaguars, OL Patrick Mekari Agree To Deal

March 10th, 2025 at 2:33pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Jaguars continue to renovate on offense today. The team’s latest move will see a notable addition up front. Patrick Mekari has agreed to a deal in Jacksonville, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. This will be a three-year pact with a base value of $37.5MM and a max of $39MM. Mekari will collect more than $20MM guaranteed.

The Ravens will miss Mekari, who had spent five of the last six years as an indispensable sixth-man on the offensive line. An undrafted free agent out of Cal, Mekari made himself an impressive asset in Baltimore thanks to his versatile ability to play every position along the offensive front. Despite not becoming a full-time starter for the Ravens until this past year, Mekari tallied 36 starts in his first five seasons. Not only that, but Mekari also started games at every position on the offensive line, an unheard-of accomplishment in today’s NFL.

This past season, Mekari started every game of the season for the first time in his career, though he still did so for two different positions. Mekari started the first three games of the season at right tackle as the Ravens attempted to ease second-round pick Roger Rosengarten into his rookie year. When it became apparent that Andrew Vorhees was struggling at left guard early, Mekari shifted inside and to the other side of the line and started there for the remainder of the season. While Pro Football Focus (subscription required) only graded him out as the 51st-best guard in the league, out of 77 players graded at the position, his ability to step in and start at any position — center, guard, tackle on the right or left side — was what made him so valuable as a free agent.

The Jaguars had some holes to fill on the interior of their offensive line with the retirement of center Mitch Morse and the expiration of right guard Brandon Scherff‘s contract. They likely won’t need Mekari to fill in at center, a position he started frequently during his early years in the league, as they’ve reached an agreement today with former Bucs center Robert Hainsey. Likely Mekari will fill Scherff’s old spot at right guard, though his noted versatility will give Jacksonville plenty of options in utilizing him.

As for the Ravens, Mekari’s departure will likely give Vorhees another chance at the starting job. Free agency has depleted Baltimore of its other backup linemen as both backup guard Ben Cleveland and backup tackle Josh Jones are set to join Mekari in free agency. The offensive line could be a focus of the team in the 2025 NFL Draft, though they could decide to address the position through free agency, as well.

Ely Allen contributed to this post.

Jaguars To Sign TE Hunter Long

March 10th, 2025 at 2:27pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Jaguars remain busy on the opening day of the negotiating window. Tight end Hunter Long is the latest free agent to agree to head to Jacksonville.

Long has a two-year deal in place, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports. The pact has a base value of $5MM and can max out at $6MM. The veteran will represent a familiar face to Jags GM James Gladstone given Long’s time with the Rams.

Gladstone was in Les Snead‘s front office when the team acquired Long in the Jalen Ramsey trade. While Liam Coen was back at Kentucky (OC stint No. 2) at this point, Gladstone will bring the former Dolphins draftee back to Florida. Long, whom the Dolphins included along with a third-round pick to acquire Ramsey in March 2023, missed most of 2023 but was part of the Rams’ run game last season.

Catching seven passes with the Rams last year, Long only has eight grabs for his career. He provided more value as a blocker, ranking in the top 10 (per Pro Football Focus) among tight ends in the run game.

The Jaguars have moved on from a three-year Evan Engram partnership, creating a need for receiving production at the position, and lost Luke Farrell to the 49ers today. But they will bring in Long as a supporting-caster on an offense that will need some retooling after several skill-position players were shown the door over the past week.

Jaguars, S Eric Murray Agree To Deal; Team To Add WR Dyami Brown

March 10th, 2025 at 2:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Jaguars have used Monday to line up a pair of offensive additions, but they are also making moves on defense. Safety Eric Murray is joining Jacksonville.

Team and player have agreed to a three-year, $22.5MM deal, as first reported by NFL Network’s Maurice Jones-Drew. The contract includes $12MM in guarantees. After a five-year run in Houston, Murray will remain in the AFC South.

In addition to the Murray agreement, a deal is also in place with Dyami Brown. The former Commanders wideout is signing a one-year pact, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. Brown – whose rookie contract has expired – has secured a $10MM deal worth up to $12MM.

The Jaguars have made significant changes to their skill-position corps since Liam Coen arrived, cutting Evan Engram, Devin Duvernay and Josh Reynolds and trading Christian Kirk. Brown qualifies as a potential-over-production addition, as he has one season with more than 300 receiving yards — 308 in 2024. Washington did not see too much from the 2021 third-round pick, but Jacksonville will take what amounts to a semi-expensive flier.

Brown is heading into an age-26 season, and the Jags will certainly need to see more from him to justify this one-year payment. The team did not see its $13MM-per-year deal for Gabriel Davis amount to much last season, putting some pressure on the ex-Bills WR2 now that a new regime is running the show. Brown will step in as a complementary piece behind Davis and Brian Thomas Jr.

Murray has come back after multiple one-year contracts near the league minimum. This deal tops what the Texans gave him (three years, $18MM) back in 2020; the five-year Houston contributor — after playing for $2.5MM in 2023 and $1.75MM last season — has scored a massive raise. Murray did so despite going into an age-31 season. But as the Texans slid Jalen Pitre to the nickel spot, Murray moved into a starting role once again.

The former Chiefs fourth-rounder made 75 tackles and intercepted one pass during a season that produced a No. 54 overall safety grade from Pro Football Focus. The Jags lost Andre Cisco to the Jets on Monday; Murray’s contract will make him a clear candidate to replace him.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post

Jags To Sign Nick Mullens, Johnny Mundt

March 10th, 2025 at 1:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

Grant Udinski made the move from Minnesota to Jacksonville as the team’s new offensive coordinator. A pair of former Vikings are following him to the Jags.

Quarterback Nick Mullens has a Jacksonville deal in place, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports. This will be a two-year pact worth $6.5MM. Mullens will collect $3MM guaranteed as Trevor Lawrence‘s new backup.

The Jags are also inking tight end Johnny Mundt, per Garafolo’s colleague Tom Pelissero. His deal is also two years in length and it is worth $5.5MM. Mundt, along with Mullens, will look to have success in continuing to work with Udinski in Duval County.

Following Jacksonville’s new OC from Minnesota, Mullens joins the Jags after spending three years as a backup. Mullens played behind Kirk Cousins for two seasons and Sam Darnold for one, receiving some starting chances when Cousins suffered an Achilles tear midway through the 2023 season. Mullens, 30 later this month, has made 20 career starts — most of them coming as a Jimmy Garoppolo fill-in with the 49ers.

The former San Francisco UDFA is 5-15 as a starter, but he carries a career 8.0 yards-per-attempt figure and a 65.8% completion rate. Mullens went 0-3 as a starter in place of Cousins in 2023, having replaced Joshua Dobbs as the latter’s momentum faded, but Minnesota retained him to play behind Darnold following J.J. McCarthy‘s meniscus tear. When the Vikings added Daniel Jones to the practice squad, he never usurped Mullens as the backup. After the Vikes activated Jones, he did not dress for their wild-card game over Mullens.

Mundt, 30, treks to Jacksonville and will join Hunter Long as TEs added in the wake of the Evan Engram release. Like Long, Mundt has not made his bones as a receiver. Mundt has yet to catch 20 passes in a season or eclipse 200 yards. Both Mundt and Mullens are older than the Jags’ new OC, who is 28.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

Jaguars To Sign CB Jourdan Lewis

March 10th, 2025 at 12:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

After eight years with the Cowboys, Jourdan Lewis is on the move. The veteran slot corner has a deal in place with the Jaguars, Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport, Mike Garafolo and Peter Schrager of NFL Network report.

This will be a three-year deal worth $30MM, Rapoport notes. Lewis will receive $20MM guaranteed and $12.5MM in 2025. The pact continues a recent trend regarding the upward movement in the slot corner market. For Lewis, this is a massive pay bump; he was tied to a one-year deal worth $2.83MM last season.

Lewis is leaving Dallas after eight seasons, disbanding the team’s CB trio that has placed DaRon Bland on the perimeter opposite Trevon Diggs. The Cowboys have been unable to keep that troika healthy all at once, with Bland having previously replaced Lewis after he suffered a career-threatening foot injury. Lewis made it back from that malady in 2023 and has played 16 games in each of the past two seasons.

The slot market now includes eight-figure AAVs for a handful of players, including Kenny Moore, Taron Johnson and Michael Carter. Lewis and Nate Hobbs (Packers) rounded out the group Monday, as the cap’s $24MM spike has impacted this undervalued position. Pro Football Focus graded Lewis 29th last season, one spot in front of Moore, as he has displayed good health after the 2022 foot setback.

The Jags will pay the going rate for Lewis despite the former Cowboys third-rounder heading into his age-30 season. Moore, Johnson, Carter and Hobbs were each younger when they signed for eight figures on average. It will be interesting to see if Lewis can sustain his solid play in Jacksonville into his early 30s, as cornerback primes tend to run shorter than their receiver counterparts’.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/8/25

March 8th, 2025 at 8:37pm CST by Adam La Rose

Here are Saturday’s tender decisions around the league:

RFAs

Tendered:

Williams and Kohou have received the right of first refusal tender from their respective teams. That will set them up for $3.26MM in 2025, but if they depart via an offer sheet Chicago and Miami will not receive any compensation. Van Lanen has received the original round tender (which is valued at $3.41MM), as noted by Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. As a result, Jacksonville would receive a sixth-round pick as compensation in the event he signed an offer sheet from an interested team which the Jags declined to match.

Jaguars Release TE Evan Engram, WR Devin Duvernay

March 7th, 2025 at 2:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

MARCH 7: The Jags have announced the Engram and Reynolds releases. This will mean Engram cannot be designated a post-June 1 cut. While the eight-year veteran is free to sign with any team now, the Jags will take on more dead money as a result of making him a standard release.

MARCH 6: A Jacksonville skill-position purge will continue with two more veterans. Following the team’s intra-division Christian Kirk trade, Evan Engram and Devin Duvernay are also out.

The Jags are releasing the veteran tight end and All-Pro return man, ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco and NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero respectively report. One season remained on Engram’s extension, which was signed after the Jags franchise-tagged him in 2023.

Count Josh Reynolds among the skill-player cap casualties as well, per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson. The Jags had claimed Reynolds off waivers from the Broncos late last season. This release will save the Jags $4.26MM, as they had taken Reynolds’ two-year, $9MM contract from the Broncos.

If the Jaguars are moving on from Engram via a standard release, they would take on $13.5MM in dead money. If they wait to officially cut the former first-rounder on March 12 and give him a post-June 1 release designation, the team would be tagged with just $4MM in 2025 dead cap and would save $15.5MM in cap room. Engram, 30, was due to count $19.49MM on Jacksonville’s 2025 cap — the second-highest total on the team’s payroll.

The Duvernay release will save the Jags $2.7MM this year. Jacksonville added Duvernay last March, doing so as it signed Gabe Davis as well. Davis did not live up to his $13MM-per-year contract in his first season, but he is the only veteran skill player left standing after this week’s moves. While the team is prepared to build around Brian Thomas Jr., it will need to fill out some spots alongside the blossoming first-rounder.

Given the tag over Jawaan Taylor in 2023, Engram signed a three-year, $41.25MM extension. That deal called for a $14.75MM 2025 base salary. Three void years tacked onto the end of it will bring the dead money, which would stretch to 2026 if the Jags make Engram a post-June cut. This could certainly make Engram the top tight end on the market, one that includes the likes of Mike Gesicki, Juwan Johnson and Tyler Conklin.

A 2017 Giants first-round pick, Engram has a Pro Bowl (2020) on his resume but became more consistent with the Jags. He twice set the franchise record for receiving yards by a tight end, accumulating 766 in 2022 and then 963 in ’23. Engram was not a strong red zone option for Trevor Lawrence, but the now-well-paid QB peppered him with targets. Engram caught 114 passes in 2023; only Jimmy Smith‘s 1999 featured more receptions (116) by a Jaguar.

Even as Engram scored only nine touchdowns in three seasons and is heading into his age-31 season, he should be in line for a starting job elsewhere soon. The Jags have given him a few days to beat the market. This release does come after Engram closed last season on IR with a labrum tear; he totaled 365 receiving yards in nine games.

Duvernay, 27, arrived during an offseason that saw the departures of Calvin Ridley and Zay Jones. The Jags had attempted to re-sign Ridley, being outbid by the Titans, before releasing Jones. In 2023, the team had deployed four veteran skill-player contracts around Lawrence’s rookie deal. They are now down to one (Davis’), and the ex-Bills WR2 totaled just 239 receiving yards last season.

Known more for his return-game skills than at receiver, Duvernay caught 11 passes for 79 yards in 2024. The two-time Ravens Pro Bowler served as the Jags’ kickoff and punt returner, leaving more jobs open amid this transition. Reynolds, 29, caught just one pass in four games as a Jaguar. He does have two 600-plus-yard seasons on his resume — including the 2023 season in Detroit — but has now been cut twice since December.

Kirk and Engram both had signed with the Jags in 2022, with each helping Lawrence after a woeful rookie season. Kirk is Houston-bound, while Engram — who has five seasons of at least 575 yards on his resume — should find a new home soon. The Jags have moved past $40MM in cap space with these moves and will be on the lookout for new Thomas supporting-casters soon.

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